3 minute read
Public Beaches
No doubt about it, 273 is an impressive number of lakes. But what’s a lake without a beach? Fortunately, the Lakes Region boasts many public beaches, including Weirs Beach on Lake Winnipesaukee. But there are a lot of other public beaches on the big lake, including:
Advertisement
Alton Town Beaches, Alton Bay Ellacoya State
Park and Ellacoya State Beach, Gilford Melvin
Village Town Pier and Public Beach, Melvin Village Moultonboro Public Beach, Moultonboro 9 Mile & 20 Mile Bay, Tuftonboro Endicott
Rock Park, Weirs Beach Brewster Beach and 19 Mile Beach in Wolfeboro Winter Harbor,
Wolfeboro Neck
Public beaches on other lakes include:
Wellington State Beach on Newfound Lake, Bristol Opechee Point Beach, Opechee Park Cove Beach on Lake Opechee in Laconia Sunapee
State Beach on Lake Sunapee in Newbury Wentworth State Beach, and Lake Wentworth
Beach on Lake Wentworth in Wolfeboro White Lake State Park, Ossipee Ahern State
Park and Bartlett Beach at Lake Winnisquam in Laconia
KAREN BOBOTAS
KAREN BOBOTAS
Full beach descriptions and directions can be found online at www.lakesregion.org
Lake Winnipesaukee
ELLEN EDERSHEIM
Area Hiking information
Lake Winnipesaukee area
ABENAKI TOWER WALK Wolfeboro. Easy, gradual, ideal for families with small children; 1/3 mile, 20 minutes. Steep climb to the tower, but the views are worth it. Trailhead: 8 miles north of Wolfeboro Center on Rte. 109. BELKNAP MOUNTAIN Gilford. 21/2 hours, elevation: 740' Easy, invigorating climb to magnificent Winnipesaukee and Ossipee Mountain views. Rte. 11A to Gilford, at the blinking light, south through Gilford Village (Belknap Mountain Road) Stay on this road, left and right. Look for Carriage Road on the left. Pass the gate, go 1.3 miles to the end of Carriage Road. Trails begin at upper parking lot. MOUNT MAJOR Alton Bay. Moderate, 2 hours; elevation: 1,000' Challenging hike, spectacular views. Trailhead: near Winnipesaukee scenic lookoffs on Rte. 11, about five miles north of Alton Bay. The parking lot is marked.
newfound area
MOUNT CARDIGAN Alexandria. Moderate/difficult. 4.4 miles, 4 hours; elevation: 3,121' Outstanding peak, views. Picnic, pond, AMC lodge, camping at base. Trailhead: Rte. 3A north from Bristol 2 miles to blinking light, left on West Shore Road to “sign tree” intersection; straight thru Alexandria Village, right on Cardigan Mtn. Rd., several mi. to Shem Valley Rd., to Cardigan Lodge trailhead. STINSON MOUNTAIN Rumney. Moderate, 21/2 hours; elevation: 1,390' Spectacular views of the Baker River Valley, Franconia and Sandwich Mountain Ranges. Rte. 25 from Plymouth to Rumney. North through the village to Stinson Lake. Right near outlet of lake; drive uphill, take a sharp left into the parking lot.
ROBERT KOZLOW
ossipee area
MOUNT CHOCORUA Rte. 16, Chocorua. elevation: 3,500'. Challenging; 4.3 miles. Piper Trail approximately. 31/2 hours to the summit. Views of the Sandwich Range. Trailhead: White Mountain National Forest parking off Rte. 16, 6.1 miles south of the Kancamagus Highway (NH Rte. 112). Watch for trailhead road. OSSIPEE RANGE at Castle in the Clouds. 45 miles of trails. Mt. Shaw (2,975'), with White Mountains views and Bald Knob, with spectacular Lake Winnipesaukee views are most popular. All abilities. Park off Rte.171 by the information kiosk, east of the Castle entrance and Severance Road, or from the Castle.
sunapee area
NORTHERN RAIL TRAIL 56 miles, 13' wide. Free outdoor activity venue, away from cars, along lakes, through river valleys and quaint villages. In warm weather, trail is used for bird watching, bicycling, running, walking and horseback riding; in winter, for X-C skiing, snowshoe hiking, snowmobiling.
